Reading 4 Matthew 6 (Part 2) and 7 and New Bible Study and Reading Plan

Reading 4 Matthew 6 (Part 2) and 7 and New Bible Study and Reading Plan

MY (OUR) NEW BIBLE STUDY AND READING PLAN

I’ve decided to only read one chapter of the New Testament per day. I found reading more than that was just too much. I want to fully grasp and absorb what I’ve read and reading three to four chapters per day isn’t allowing me to do so. So, now, this study will be called:

“A Godly Vision Chapter by Chapter Study of the New Testament, Part 1”

Also, I want to look a little more at Matthew 6:33-34 today and then we’ll read Matthew 7.

Yesterday, we read, studied, and contemplated Matthew 6:33-34 all day and night.

**~** PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS

1 What more has God revealed to you about those verses?

2 What more has God revealed to you about seeking His kingdom and His righteousness first?

3 What more has God revealed about worry in your life?

SEEK FIRST AND WORRY: APPLICATION

If we are seeking the kingdom of God (heaven) first, along with his righteousness, then these things will be awarded--and we will not need to worry.

I find it amazing how much God can use a verse and a chapter in my life. It’s as though He’s written specific things just for me. But, I know the words were written for the context in whom and for which they were written. It’s just also something I can relate to and Matthew 6:34 is one of those verses that apply to my life right now.

Everything in my life, without fail, in a flux right now. I only have these things in which I have a firm foundation:

1 The Word of God and my faith,

2 My husband and me--our marriage

3 My family and friends

That’s it. It’s everything. But, that’s it.

As of right now, my husband has a full-time job, but we may look at retirement from it and he may start work elsewhere. We’re looking into it. Who knows. It’s just an idea right now. This means we could move across the country to our forever home in as little as five weeks or as many as a year. Which then would mean finding a house to buy and everything in which that brings. He also may be going to school and leaving for a while, where I man the fort and critters. So, this means we are putting adoption on hold until we are set in place with new job and home. Or, we may decide to stay in place and proceed with Plan A. We just do not know. We’re in God’s waiting room as we plan for several contingencies and wait for His answer.

Life gave us a situation in which kicked us in the gut and we’ve had to reanalyze everything (other than our marriage and faith--both are our sure constants and are never in question). With everything being a question mark right now, I cannot help but feel worry nip at my heels as it tried to again my attention. Worry for me is the number one things that pops up to the surface, like a turtle needing to breathe after swimming underwater for a while.

Worry has always been a bad habit of mine. But, it’s worse than that. Worry is a sin.

It’s wrong of me to worry about anything. It shows I do not fully trust God. It’s something I need to constantly be on alert for and combat. Part of this stems from grief. I’ve lost so many people and things in my life, so I tend to get a little anxious when one of them is threatened. This is the inappropriate response, though.

Worry is when I am afraid of allowing God to take control. Worry is taking from God. It’s stealing what is His and trying to claim it as mine.

It’s me acting like a thief. People get sent to prison of stealing as much as I’ve stolen (from God in my life). This is serious stuff. Therefore, I need to make sure I never minimize it or worse, ignore it or dismiss it. I should never say, “I know if anyone else had this to deal with, they’d worry, too.” Or, “This is big stuff. It’s understandable if I’m worried.” Both are wrong to think, never mind say.

The Bible says do not worry. Period. It doesn’t give a clause to say that it’s okay to worry if… Matthew 6:34 says it simply. “Do not worry.”

Worry is that which takes our attention off of God and His Word. This makes it even more wrong. Worry too much and it can become an idol.

**~** PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS:

1 Write any thoughts that came to mind when you read the things I wrote previously today.

2 What are you worried, concerned, and/or anxious about right now? Prayer journal about it.

3 Has worry ever been an idol in your life--where it takes your attention off of God or His Word?

4 Then, write a prayer releasing your worries, concerns, and/or anxiety to God.

I have to admit, I am less worried now than I would have been a year or two ago, particularly five years ago. I have grown in my faith, thank You, Jesus.

So, how do I handle the worry that pops up right now, I throw myself into the Word of God and think on it so much worry doesn't have time to simmer in my mind. I’m thinking too much on other things, after all. This is how I beat worry. I make sure to stop it in its tracks with the Word of God, the belt of Truth and shield of faith. God’s so got this. His plans are perfect. My worry is silly. He’s much bigger and is in control.

Matthew 7 Bible Reading and Study

Read Matthew 7 for yourself and make sure to prayer journal, **~**, about anything that captures your attention, any questions you might have, what you would like to apply to your life, favorite verses, etc.

Our Key Verses are: Matthew 7:7-8 and Matthew 7:13-14. (Matthew 7:13-14 will be our lesson tomorrow.)

Matthew 7:7-8 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8 / New Century Version (NCV)

7 “Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

A-S-K.

Ask, Seek, Knock.

We are to act persistent and consistent in our prayer.

Nowhere does it say in the Bible that God grows weary or tired from our prayers. Nor does it say we’re bothering Him. Nor does it say our prayers are too small or insignificant for God to bother with or any such nonsense.

Seriously. Look in your Bible. Try to find where it says otherwise. (Hint: You won’t find an exception.) Rather, Matthew 7:7-8 suggests something drastically different.

Matthew 7:7-8 / Expanded Bible (EXB)

7 “·Ask [Keep asking], and ·God will give [L it will be given; C the passive verb implies God as subject] to you. ·Search [Seek; Keep seeking], and you will find. ·Knock [Keep knocking], and the door will open for you. 8 ·Yes, [L For; Because] everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who ·searches [seeks] will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

Matthew 7:7-8 / New Living Translation (NLT)

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Read each of the versions previously, plus your favorite version, if it wasn’t listed.

**~** PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS:

1 What are your thoughts?

2 What does this say to you about asking God for/about something?

3 What did you learn from each of the versions?

4 What jumped out at you most from those two verses? Why?

5 What jumped out to you about each of the versions/translations? Why?

6 What did you say to God about these verses and translations?

7 What did God say to you about these verses and versions?

8 What do you need to A-S-K for in your life?

Let’s look at some cross-references now:

Matthew 21:22 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

22 And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Mark 11:24 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

24 Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for—believe that you have received them, and you will have them.

John 14:13 / New American Standard Bible (NASB)

13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

**~** PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS:

Look at each cross-reference previously and then prayer journal about the following?

1 What are your thoughts?

2 What did you learn?

3 What jumped out to you about each of these cross-references? Why?

4 How did these cross-references help you understand Matthew 7:7-8 more?

5 What did you say to God about these cross-references?

6 What did God say to you about these cross-references?

Now, let’s look are more cross-references:

John 15:7 / Expanded Bible (EXB)

7 If you ·remain [abide] in me and ·follow my teachings [L my words abide/remain in you], you can ask anything you want, and it will ·be given to [be done for; come to] you.

John 15:16 / GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

16 You didn’t choose me, but I chose you. I have appointed you to go, to produce fruit that will last, and to ask the Father in my name to give you whatever you ask for.

1 John 3:21-22 / GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

21 Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we can boldly look to God 22 and receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

1 John 5:14-15 / New Century Version (NCV)

14 And this is the boldness we have in God’s presence: that if we ask God for anything that agrees with what he wants, he hears us. 15 If we know he hears us every time we ask him, we know we have what we ask from him.

**~** PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS:

Look at each cross-reference previously and then prayer journal about the following?

7 What are your thoughts?

8 What did you learn?

9 What jumped out to you about each of these cross-references? Why?

10 How did these cross-references help you understand Matthew 7:7-8 more?

11 What did you say to God about these cross-references?

12 What did God say to you about these cross-references?

In other words, we are to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking--and do so with boldness and confidence. This is how we are to approach the throne of God and our prayer lives.

**~** Prayer journal your thoughts.